At Daimaru, once a hotel and more permanent housing run by Little Tokyo Service Center, residents were struggling. Many of them worked in the restaurant industry, and the pandemic hit their places of business hard. "So many closed," says Nancy Alcaraz, director of resident services.
Some residents started to fall behind on their rent. "They had lost not just their job and source of income, but many of them didn’t know where to go for support," Alcaraz relates. As a newer owner of a building with longtime residents – some with up to 20 years of residency – LTSC wanted to make sure residents knew the NeighborWorks nonprofit could help them. When residents reached out for support, LTSC provided it.
"If there’s a bright side to any of this, it’s that the crisis allowed us to get to know our residents on a different level," Alcaraz says. As they learned about residents’ problems, they offered solutions, including rental assistance through NeighborWorks America’s Rental Resilience Fund, made possible by the generosity of the Wells Fargo Foundation. Alcaraz says her nonprofit assisted the majority of the building’s 25 residents through the fund.
That includes Lisa, a resident who had to cope not only with the loss of her job as a restaurant hostess, but with the anxiety that accompanied the pandemic. "There are so many people dying," she kept saying.
"Having to leave her unit became difficult for her," Alcaraz shares. "We had to find support, to help her
start talking with someone for therapy. She did not feel safe leaving her home. She couldn’t pay rent. She couldn’t pay for food."
LTSC worked to bring produce and eggs to Lisa every Friday; one of the 80 to 100 bags of produce staff delivered to residents each week. They also stocked a food pantry, which residents utilized more as the pandemic lagged on, months past initial expectations. "Everything is still going on," Alcaraz says.
While Lisa is still dealing with her fears, LTSC helped her get an appointment to become fully vaccinated, which has made her feel better about leaving her home. She recently returned to work as a restaurant server. "We continue to check on her regularly," Alcaraz says.
LTSC continues to work with other residents, too, helping them navigate programs and activities, including job searches. "Case management became really important during the pandemic," says Alcaraz. "A lot of residents had a fear of being evicted. We assured them that we were not in the business of evicting; we wanted to help them find solutions."
NeighborWorks America, too, wanted to help residents and network organizations find solutions. That’s why the organization initiated, with the help of the Wells Fargo Foundation, two funds: The Rental Resilience Fund and the Critical Relief Fund. The funds have helped with back rent, pay roll, personal protective equipment and more. NeighborWorks began distributing that funding across the United States in 2020 to network organizations who knew where the dollars would have the most impact in their communities.
"We feel really fortunate to be a part of the NeighborWorks network," Alcaraz says. "We’re grateful for the financial support to help provide these services to residents during a time of so much uncertainty. The grant helped provide a sense of security. At least the fear of losing their home was not the main source of their anxiety. We’re grateful for that."
09/17/2021
